Fireproof elevator-door.



C. R. BUMBARGER.

FIREPHOOF ELEVATOR DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. 1915.

1 175325, Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

N is A TTOR/VE Y C. R. BUMBARGER.

FIREPROOF ELEVATOR DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. 1915.

SHEET 2- Patented Mar. 21

2 S H E E T S l/Vl/E/V 70/? A 710mm WITIVESSES:

same, reference CLARENCE .R. BUMBARGER, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSQURI, ASSIGNOR T0 GEO. W.

JOHNSON MFG. 00., OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A. CORPORATION OF MIS- SOURI.

FIREPROOE ELEVATOR-DOOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

Application filed May 3, 1915. Serial No. 25,482.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLAnnNonR. BUD/Ir BARGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fireproof Elevator-Doors; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of. the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to fire-proof elevator doors, and more particularly to a evice of that character adapted for control by a lock of the fusible link type whereby the door is adapted-t0 close automatically in case of fire to protect the building in which the door is located.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide improved details of structure in a door of this character, and more particularly to provide a door of. thetWo-section type, with means for closing the door opening at the floor level when the door is opened to facilitate trucking from the floor of the building to an elevator.

In the accompanying drawings wherein the preferred forms of my improved structure are illustrated, Figure I is a front elevation of a fire-proof elevator door constructed according to my invention, showing the door sections, the guides and a linkcontrolled lock for holding the door in open or closed position. Fig. 11 is an enlarged horizontal section (on the line 11-11, Fig. 1,) showing the preferred form of door structure and guide. Fig. 111 is an enlarged vertical section (on the line III-III, Fig. 1,) particularly illustrating the trucking bar and its coiiperating parts. Fig. IV is a vertical section of a part of the trucking bar and its mounting, showing the functional position of the bar and its relation to the floor of a building when in such functional position. Fig. V is an enlarged detail elevation of parts of the two door sections, and particularly illustrating the connection between the door sections and the connection mountings. Fig. V1 is a detail view of the lock and a part of the lower door section, the door being in closed position and the lock being shown in open position in dotted lines.

Referring more in detail to the parts: 1 designates the door guides which preferably comprise vertical channel members 2 havmg base edges 3 fixed jto an angle iron 4 by bolts 5 throughout the length of the guide; the said angle iron having a frame flange 6 fixed to the shaft inclosure, preferably by bolts 7 that extend through slots 8 in the flange in order that the guides may be adjusted vertically when the door is being installed or for readjustment at any future time. Each of the guides 2 has lips 10 at its inner edge that are spaced to provide a mouth 11 through which a door section flange may project, as presently described. As the door which is carried in the guides 2 is composed of two sections, one of which is adapted to rise and the other to lower when the door is opened, the said guides are extended to aproper height above the floor of a building and extend downwardly beneath the fioor a distance preferably equal to or greater than the depth of the lower door section in order that the said sections may be guided throughout their entire travel. I

Each door comprises an upper section 12 and a lower section 13, and each of said sections preferably comprises a double sheet 14 of corrugated metal having flat edges 15 projected into a tubular edge head 16 and locked thereto by a head 17 that may be formed by bending the edges of the metal sheets laterally and locking the same by a key 18; each corner of such section being preferably reinforced by a stifiening plate 20, having a solid bead 21 adapted to fit snugly within the tubular bead 16 (Figs. V and The interior of the guide 2 is of suiiicient cross-sectional area to allow the doorvbeads 16 to travel freely therein, and of suflicient cross-sectional depth to afford space for free movement of a connecting'member, preferably a chain belt 23, which is adapted to run therethrough. One of the belts 23 is fixed to each lower corner of the upper door section 12 and run upwardly through the downwardly through a bracket 27 that is fixed to the said housing at about the meeting point of the two door sections, and through said housing and a slot 28 in the guide 2, and again into the interior of the guide, where it is fixed to the upper end of the lower door section.

In passing through the lower bracket 27 the belt 23 runs over guide rollers 29 and 30 in order to preventfriction against the bracket or guide.

One of the guides 26 is preferably adjustably mounted on the shaft housing by means of bolts 32 that project from the housing and through slots 33 in the bracket, in order to provide for limited vertical movement of the bracket, and the-said bracket is held in adjusted position by means of a set screw 35 which is mounted in a shelf 36 on said bracket and supports the bracket in adjusted position.

The upper door section 12 is preferably provided with a T-rail 38 at its lower edge and the lower door section with a stop plate 39, which is pivotally mounted on the upper edge bead 16by arms 40 which inclose the bead and are adapted for free pivotal movement thereon. The stop plate 39 is preferably formed of angle iron, and fixed to the flange 41 is a truck bar 42, of such width that it may substantially close the opening between the floor and elevator platform when the door is open, in order to provide a support for the wheels of a truck with which goods are carried onto and from the elevator; at least one of theedges of the trucking bar being preferably beveled as at 43 in order to. limit the obstruction to the wheels of a truck which may be moved thereover.

Fixed to the trucking bar 41, preferably at the ends of the bar, are fingers 45, having curved ends 46 adapted to engage the floor as the lower door section is lowered, in

order to turn the trucking bar to functional.

position, and which add weight to-the trucking bar that 'will tend to automatically swing the'bar downwardly to bring the stop flange of the plate 39 into position for engagement by the- T-rail 38 on the lower edge of the upper door section. The upper door section 12 is of greater weight than the lower door section 13, so that when the doors are unrestrained the weight of the upper section will tend to lower that section and lift the lower section up to the closing position.

In order .to-hold the door open against the over-balancing action just mentioned, I provide a stop which preferably comprises a bar 48 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 49 that projects from the shaft housing adjacent the floor and has a roller bearing 50 at its lower end and a spring 51 at its upper end which tends to holdthe bar yieldingly projected to position wherein the roller bearing is engaged by a shoe on the elevator that is adapted for travel in the housing.

Slidably mounted in a guide 43 adjacent the pivotal point of the bar 48 is a block 54, having a spring 55 bearing against a shoulder 56 at its inner end and against a stationary plate 57 at its outer end, in order to yieldingly project the inner end of the block against the edge of the lower door section and beneath the said section when the door is closed; the inner end of said block being preferably provided with a beveled face 58 and the outer end with a roller'bearing. 60 which is engaged by the lower arm of the bar- 48 when said bar is moved outwardly when engaged by a contact bar (not shown) 'on an elevator moving to the-floor on which the lock is located.

Slidably mounted in a guide 62, above the guide 53, is a block 63 of the same construction as the block 54, but arranged reversely and adapted for automatic projection above the top of said door section when the latter is opened, in order to lock the door in open position, the slide 63 having a roller bearing 64 adapted for engagement by the upper arm of the bar 48 when the latter moves outwardly under tension of the spring 51 when the lower portion of the bar is rocked by engagement with the elevator shoe, so that when the door is in open position the end of the slide 63 will project over the upper edge of the lower door section and hold'the latter in open position.

Pivotally mounted on the bar 48 is an angle lever 66, having an arm 67 projected upwardly along the bar and into position for engagement with the roller bearing 64' on the upper slide 63. l The second arm 68 of said lever carries a weight and has a' connecting cord 69 run over a pulley '70 adjacent the upper bracket 26 and connected with a fusible link 71 that is mounted on the elevator housing; the parts being so arranged that the sliding travel of the block 63 will not interfere with the lever 66, but

that should the fusible link 71 be melted, in case of fire, the connections 69 will be broken, and the weight 65 will rock the lever.

. 66 to cause the arm 67 to engage the roller bearing 64 on the rod 63 and move said slide lies horizontally across the masses outwardly to free the lower door section, so that it may be lifted upwardly by the greater weight of the descending upper door section 12.

In using the device, presuming the parts to be constructed and assembled as described, the door sections are normally retained in closed position. by the locking device. W hen an elevator approaches a floor on which the door is located, a contact bar on the elevator engages the bearing 50 on the lock bar and rocks said bar to move the locking slide from beneath the lower door section, so that the doors may be opened. l V hen the doors are opened by lowering the lower section or lifting on the upper section, the two sections travel synchronously because of their flexible connection, and when. they have moved to their complete open position. the upper slide 63 of the locliing device moves inwardly over. the upper edge of the lower section to hold the same in place against the weight of the upper door section which tends to close the doors.

I As the lower door section approaches 1ts lowermost position of the arms 46 on the trucking bar engage the floor of the building and rock said bar upwardly until the door is completely opened, when. the trucking bar open space between the floor and the elevator platform, so that a truck may be moved across the opening more easily and without damage to the edge of the elevator door.

It is apparent that as the trucking bar is pivotally mounted on the door bead, it to any angle and thereby may be moved automatically adjusted to any variation in elevation between the floor and elevator platform, and may yield under the weight of a truck to provide an inclined base, as distinguished from a sharp abutment.

TV hen the elevator is again started and leaves its contact with the lock bar l8, the said bar is moved outwardly, and engaging the slide 63 moves the same out of the path of the elevator door, so that the latter is free.

to ascend when lifted by the greater weight of the descending upper door section. VVhen the door is completely closed the stop plate on the upper door sectionengages the stop flange 0n the trucking bar bracket and the slide block 54 moves under the lower edge of the lower door section to hold the same in place until the parts are again released by the elevator manipulating the locking mechanism. Should a fire break out while the elevator door is open, heat from the fire will. fuse the link 71 and break the connection to the lever 66, so that the weight on said lever will rock the latter so that the arm 67 will engage the bearing on the upper lock slide 63 and move said slide out of locking position relative to the lower door section.

With the slide in this position the doors will close automatically by reason of the over-balancing of the lower door section by the upper door section.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. The combination with a door, of a trucking bar pivotally mounted on the edge of said door and adapted for spanning a door opening, for the purpose set forth.

2, The combination with a vertically mov= able door member adapted for travel in a door opening of an elevator shaft, and a trucking bar pivotally mounted on the upper edge of said door member and adapted for spanning said opening when the door is in open position.

3. The combination with a vertically movable doormember, of a trucking bar pivotally mounted on the upper edge of said member, and means on the trucking bar for en aging a floor to roclr said bar to functional position.

The combination. with a vertically movable door member, of a trucking bar pivotally mounted on the upper edge of said member and arranged to hang along one face of the said member when in non-functional position, and means on the trucking barter engaging the door to rock said bar to functional position.

5. The combination with a vertically movable door, ofastop member pivotally mounted on the upper-edge of said door and a trucking bar carried by the said step mem her and normally suspended therefrom and having means for engaging a floor to rock the bar to functional position, for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination with a vertically movable door member, of a stop member pivotally mounted on the upper edge of said door, a stop bar mounted on said stop memher and having a beveled edge and a curved finger on said trucking bar, adapted for engaging a fioor to rock the stop member and move the truck bar to functional position.

7. The combination with a door, of a stop member pivotally mounted on the upper edgeof said door and comprising an angle plate, a trucking bar fixed to one member of the angle plate andadapted for retaining the other member of said plate in horizontal position and a finger on the trucking bar adapted for engaging a floor to rock the stop member and locate the trucking bar in functional position.

8..The combination with a vertically movable door, having a bead at its upper edge, of a member pivotally mounted on said bead and comprising a stop face and an angling portion, a trucking bar fixed to the angling portion and yieldingly retaining the lid face member in horizontal position, and flange adapted for engagement by the/lower means on the t1 king bar for engaging a edge of the upper section, a trucking bar floor to rock the mounting member and 1ofixed to said bracket, and means connected '10 cate the trucking bar in functional position. with the trucking bar for engaging a floor 9. The combination With upper and lower to rock said bar to functional. position. door sections, of a bracket on the upper edge In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. of the lower door section, having a stop CLARENCE R. BUMBARGER. 

